A Snowball's Chance
by Silver Miko
Summary: SL January Challenge Getting tossed into the snow wasn't the highlight of her day, neither was Aoshi coming across her flailing in it.


Author's Note: In an attempt to wean myself out of writer's block and such, the Shinobi Love January Challege I shall do! And should since classes started.  
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A Snowball's Chance

by Silver Miko

SL January theme- snowball fight

"You know, you really have a snowball's chance in hell, kid."

Misao looked up from pouring Hiko a dish of sake, her eyes furrowing. 

"And why do you say that?" she asked, setting the jug down a bit harshly. She was starting to wish the great swordsman didn't make his once a week trek to the Aoiya just for "exceptional sake". A fact that positively delighted Okon.

"Because you are not direct enough. You expect him to do all the work for you. Such laziness, just like my idiot student." Hiko drawled, taking a slow sip of sake.  
"Do not compare me to Himura. And how could I be anymore direct! Everyone knows how I feel." the soon to be eighteen year old kunoichi sighed, pushing her messy bangs out of her face.  
"But does he? Have you told him? Or do you just expect everyone else to make it well known enough for you?" "It's none of your business!" she fumed, turning on her geta-clad heels and stormed into the kitchen. Practically jumping onto a stool she crossed her arms, sulking over Hiko's words.  
She didn't want it to bother her. She wasn't going to let it bother.  
She was.  
"Ugh! I hate that guy!" she yelled, slamming the table with a fist.  
"Misao-chan?" Misao blinked, and slowly turned her head to see Okon standing over the stove stirring a pot of miso soup and looking at her quizzically. "Ah..Okon-san I just...really can't stand that damn Hiko sometimes. Stupid big mouthed drunk with his supposedly know it all zen sword knowledge like he's a master of all life lessons..." she rambled on and was so caught up in it she didn't notice Okon advance on her, a deadly gleam in her eye, as she grabbed Okon by the back of her gi and picked her up as she headed towards the back door.  
"Okon-san, what are you..ARGGGGG!" Misao screeched, finding herself tossed out the door onto a very cold snow bank.

"Hiko-sama is the greatest man alive! Now sit out here and mull over that fact!"

And with that, Okon slammed the door shut.

"What! Okon-san!" Misao yelled, flailing in the snow bank and tried to stand but slipped and fell back square on her bottom.  
Which, if wasn't embarassing enough, was witnessed by the approaching Aoshi.

"Misao"  
Misao tensed hearing the deep voice she loved so much...and in sheer humiliation did the only thing she could think of.  
She grabbed a handful of snow and threw it at him.  
"Don't look at me! Don't looook at me!" she wailed, throwing a fit for the first time in years.  
She'd just had it.  
What with Hiko's words, Okon's behavior, and her frustration in general...she just wanted to scream. Even if it made her look completely foolish. Now she was sure Aoshi was going to lecture her and tell her to stop being so childish.  
She looked over at Aoshi, who was watching the snow slide slowly off his trench coat, his eyes slightly wide in surprise. She looked away, her head bowing and sighed.  
"Aoshi-sama...I'm really sorry I didn't mean..." she began, turning to face him when a ball of snow collided with her face.  
She sputtered, slowly reach up to wipe her face off.  
He hadn't...surely.  
She saw Aoshi brushing his hands off, and her jaw dropped.  
"Did you just throw a snowball at me"  
"Aa. You looked like you needed to cool down a bit more...and also it was retaliation"  
He said it so matter-of-factly, that it almost seemed as if it was indeed natural of Shinomori Aoshi to partake in such a childish act as throwing a snowball.  
"But..you...you're you. You don't throw snowballs"  
"Perhaps...you just never see me do it"  
Misao snorted.  
"Impossible! There is very little about you I don't know." Except his feelings, that was. Misao sighed, and then sneezed. She momentarily forgot she was sitting in a snow bank, but now the realization coming back to her as she started shivering.  
Aoshi went to her, and helped her to her feet. Noticing she was still cold, he removed his coat and draped it over her shoulders.  
Misao blinked in surprise.  
"Aoshi-sama, thank you...but I think it's a little too big." She noticed that the coat was trailing past her feet and into the snow, getting the fabric wet.  
"It's only a coat, Misao, I'd rather it get some damage to it then you getting sick from the cold. Why were you sitting in a snow bank?" he asked, brushing her arms to help her warm up.  
"Okon-san tossed me out the back door." she replied, feeling both awkward and pleased to have Aoshi rub her arms. It was almost hypnotizing.  
"Why did she do that"  
"Cause I was complaining about that stupid mountain lush Hiko and she got offended"  
"I see. What did he do"  
"He told me I have absolutely no chance with yo...umm. He just told me something I didn't want to hear." Her cheeks reddened and she hoped he didn't catch what she was going to say.  
"Misao"  
"Y-yes, Aoshi-sama?" she asked, looking up at him.  
He took a breath, inhaling softly and the edges of his lips quirked slightly into not-quite a smile...but something like it.  
"He's not right about everything." "Huh"  
Surely Aoshi wasn't saying.  
"Let's get you inside"  
Her lips parted to say something, but then she just smiled.  
"Hmm."

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Short and lame. Yep. 


End file.
